This is a post I've been wanting to write since July 2008. Word broke late last night that the Maloofs, owners of the Sacramento Kings, sold their majority ownership interest to Chris Hansen and his group. With this sale, it begin the process of the return of the Seattle SuperSonics.
People who know me know my connection to that city. I wrote back in 2008 when Clay Bennett and his group moved the franchise to Oklahoma City and ripped the heart out of the city. The producers of Sonicsgate did a great job of telling the story. And they made sure the mantra was said "No city is safe."
Unfortunately Sacramento is one of those cities. I feel bad for Kings fans. They had bad ownership (like the Sonics had with Starbucks founder Howard Schultz) which led to bad management of the team. However, there are differences this time around. Chris Hansen's intentions were straightforward from the start. He and his group hasn't lied to the city of Sacramento, hasn't tried to make things difficult for the team by trying to get them to tank. They've been upfront, something that Clay Bennett and his group never were.
On the one hand, it's sad that what Clay Bennett and his group did inevitably cost Sacramento their franchise and gives another reason why I don't like that ownership group.
On the other hand, it'll be so great to see the green and gold, to hear Kevin Calabro doing play by play commentary, to see Squatch courtside. The Sonics are coming back, they're not just a regular team:
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